There are many ways to engage with Sydney’s veritable melting pot of cultures. The city is famously and fiercely multicultural, making it one of the best cities in the world to explore different flavours.
If you want to diversify your palate and experience some of the most authentic hospitality in Australia, we’ve compiled a list of tours and experiences that celebrate the many cultural cuisines and communities of Sydney’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
What are Sydney’s best cultural food experiences?
1. Lebanese Iftar Feast
During Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Islam, Gourmet Safaris gives you the opportunity to join a Lebanese family for a traditional Iftar feast. Iftar is the fast-breaking evening meal which begins at sunset, and is recognised as one of the most important moments of the day during Ramadan.
The Afiouny family will welcome you into their cafe, Café Levant in Greenacre, and will organise a special dinner, serving many traditional Lebanese dishes. Jinan, Sophie and Hala will host you, and the event promises to be both delicious and engaging as they educate you on the importance of Iftar. Maeve (the founder of Gourmet Safaris) first met the Afiouny family when they kindly invited her to dinner and she still remembers mum Hala’s chicken rice and the family’s charming dynamic.
Where: Café Levant, Greenacre
2. Aboriginal Bush Tucker Tour
This tour is located in the Botanical Gardens and educates participants about Indigenous bush foods. Your First Nations guide will teach you how these foods were used traditionally and adapted to the modern plate and palate. You’ll get the opportunity to try some of the best bush foods on the market as you explore the Cadi Jam Ora garden. Bush tucker is an important piece of history of the world’s oldest civilisation, and learning about these flavourful and sustainable foods is sure to be eye-opening and exciting experience.
Where: The Garden Shop, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
3. Chinatown Street Food and Stories
On this walking tour, you’ll explore Sydney’s vibrant and bustling Chinatown sampling a range of street foods and snacks from some of the area’s best restaurants. These various dishes will each represent a different part of China and have been carefully curated by the tour guides. The tour’s focus is on Sydney’s long affiliation with China, and the successes of the Chinese-Australian community. It promises to be immersive and interactive, with bubbly tour guides and fun trivia games to play throughout.
At the end of the tour, you’ll receive a map and guide to Chinatown, detailing all the best restaurants and what to order. Book a tour on a Wednesday during Neon Playground Festival to enjoy the art installations and neon lights as you snack.
Where: Meet outside Paddy’s Markets
4. Best of the Mediterranean
Not reduced to one region of the Mediterranean, this bus safari of Sydney will let you try a variety of cuisines, including Italian, Cypriot and Sardinian. The hosts are all small family businesses, so you know that everything served will be fresh and authentic. The tour begins with Italian coffee at Paesanella, continuing to the Cypriot heartland with a variety of dips and jumbo green olives. You’ll be introduced to regional dishes that you’ve never seen before and discover the warm and welcoming hospitality of the Mediterranean cultures.
Where: Bus departs from and returns to Central Station.
5. Refugee Chef Dinner Banquet
Participate in this amazing experience and support refugees in Sydney. You will be introduced to an array of exceptional dishes, cooked especially for your small group. Every dinner banquet is different, with a new chef bringing in a new menu, guaranteeing authenticity and freshness.
You’ll enjoy a 3 course banquet at cafe Parliament on King, before sampling food from the homelands of asylum seekers and refugees. You can ask questions to the inspiring chefs about the food they’ve prepared and their heritage. This is a genuine local experience, focusing on delicious food and championing each refugee’s hard-work, culture and community. All proceeds from the evening go towards funding Parliament on King’s important work.
Where: Parliament on King, 632 King St, Erskineville, 2043
6. Indian Breakfast
Head to Harris Park, also known as ‘Little India’, for a delicious breakfast comprising favourite foods from both North India and South India. Guided by passionate cook and founder of a small cooking school, Bhavna Kalra (@moderndesi.co), this tour will take you through one of the area’s big emporiums as well as smaller street food vendors. You’ll learn about popular Indian snacks and be introduced to new and exciting flavours.
Sip on chai, try spicy chickpea curry and indulge in steamed rice cakes and lentil fritters with this exciting tour.
Price: $95
7. Taste of Vietnam, Cabramatta by Taste Tours
Sydney is renowned for having some of the best Vietnamese food in the world. Join this tour in Cabramatta (Sydney’s own Asian capital) and dive into this delicious adventure.
The tour will allow you to try some of the best classic Vietnamese dishes, including pho, bánh mì, traditional pancakes and even sugarcane juice. Taste tours always provide a completely immersive experience, and you will feel the true culture of Vietnam as you wander through the bustling streets, meeting tailors, street vendors and jewellers. It will be loud, chaotic and absolutely fabulous. The food servings will be generous, so arrive hungry to this one!
Where: Meet at Vinata’s Hot Bread Shop, Shop 13-14, Cabramatta Plaza,1 Hughes Street
8. French Gourmet Food Safari
This elegant tour will take you through a delectable world of French flavours. Fluffy baguettes, luscious cheese and full-bodied French wine, this safari is definitely one to indulge in. You’ll meet an artisan bread baker and experience the taste of oil, salt, vinegar and truffle that has been flown in all the way from France. There’ll be a 3-course lunch at a famous bistro and a visit to a kitchenware store to learn about French cooking tools and utensils. Discover new flavours that you can implement into your own cooking at this sophisticated yet delicious tour.
Where: Bus departs from and returns to Central Station
9. Secret Food Tours Sydney
On this 3-hour tour, you’ll be taken around some of the Inner East’s favourite eateries, starting on Oxford Street in Surry Hills and stopping off at 7 different spots. This tour will include food from cultures such as Greece, Italy and Portugal, where you can see the influence of post-war immigration on the diversity of restaurants, cafes and bars. They’ll also be plenty of chances to try fresh Aussie cuisine, including Sydney rock oysters and some stunning NSW wines. They also include a ‘Secret Dish’ with each tour, which promises to be an exciting and tasty addition.
Where: Meet at M1 Oxford Street, Surry Hill, NSW, 2010
10. Afghan Safari
Gourmet Safari’s Afghan feast is the first Afghan Safari in Sydney that includes a visit to a private home. This is a bus safari, meaning that you’ll be able to explore a large portion of Sydney (as well as eat large portions of Afghan cuisine).
Starting with a traditional tea and snacks in Western Sydney, you’ll then explore an Afghan bakery, continuing to a butchery and then a spice shop. Tamim and Nabila Hashimi, along with their children, will invite you into their home, where they’ll share their food and culture through cooking demonstrations. Expect delicious kebabs and the chance to try the national dish Kabuli pulao. You’ll walk away with recipes to try yourself and a satisfied stomach.
Where: Bus departs from and returns to Central Station.
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